


The Lord and the Thief

by AllKindsOfEverything



Category: Father Brown (2013)
Genre: (I really need to get her tag right someday. It irks me.), AU, Alternate Universe, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-04-11
Packaged: 2018-10-17 14:42:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10596120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllKindsOfEverything/pseuds/AllKindsOfEverything
Summary: In a reverse universe, Flambeau is the Lord and Felicia a thief....there might be kissing involved.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr Challenge - Father Brown "Ladies Week" - Day 2: AUs (prompt: [not listed])

Tip toeing into his own study in the middle of the night, holding a gun was not something Lord Hercule Flambeau had thought he would do on a Tuesday night. Yet here he was.  
And his concerns were confirmed. There, in front of his open wall safe, he was - the thief.  
Stopping in the doorway to the room, he growled, "Move and I'll shoot you." As he pulled back the hammer of the gun, the audible click made his unwanted guest freeze on the spot.

After a moment the slender, black-clad figure slowly raised its gloved hands, shoulders squared.

Flambeau didn't take his eyes off the intruder's back while he reached for the light switch and turned it on. "Turn around," he ordered as he stepped closer.

The thief turned slowly, most of their face remaining hidden under the balaclava they wore.

Stopping in front of them, Flambeau was caught off guard by the defiant look in the beautiful eyes that met his. He had seen them before, he was sure of it. But where?  
Decocking the gun, he furrowed his brow. "Take that off," he motioned his chin towards the balaclava.

To his surprise, the thief's eyes sparkled mischievously and they took a small step forward and lowered their hands.

"Make me," her velvet voice ended the silence.

Even with her face hidden, he could tell she was smirking.

He was momentarily stunned and in the split second it took him to process the new information she had taken the gun from his hand, pushed him out of the way and was halfway through the open window.

Crouching in the window frame, she looked back at him over her shoulder. "We'll meet again, Lord Hercule."

With that, she was gone. And so was his late mother's engagement ring.

All the police would find the next day was a white handkerchief embroidered with an elegantly curved F.

~*~*~*~

Sipping his champagne, Lord Hercule tried to drown out the musings of Colonel Lukyn, letting his gaze travel over the masked crowd in their colourful ball gowns and dapper tail coats from his perch on top of the grand staircase.  
To his relief, Mr Bullamy beckoned him over, so he had a reason to excuse himself.

It always amused him that these people thought a mere mask would disguise their identity. It was obvious to him who was who as he brushed past Lady Runcorn and Mrs Davenheim, bickering about whose daughter would marry first.

Crossing the large room, he noticed a woman standing opposite the stout man with the rather impressive sideburns he was walking towards. Her freckled shoulders shook slightly as she threw her head back and laughed, the night blue chiffon of her dress clinging to her slim frame in all the right places.

Bullamy's voice boomed "Oh no, dear lady, I can assure you," he stopped when he spotted Flambeau, "Ah, Lord Hercule, there you are! I want you to meet someone."

The woman turned gracefully, a brilliant smile on her red lips.

The upper half of her face was hidden behind a lace mask the same colour as her evening gown, but her eyes... her eyes.

Tilting her head to one side, she smirked at his stunned expression as Bullamy motioned his hand towards her.

"This delightful being is Lady Agatha Farrington."

She held out her hand, "How do you do?"

He took it and bowed, silently marvelling at the timbre of her voice, his eyes never leaving hers as his mind tried to remember where he had seen them before. "Lady Farrington."

"Agatha, please." She flashed him a charming smile, squeezing his hand lightly before slipping hers from his grasp. Half turning to the balding man who had introduced them, she continued "Mr Bullamy has told me so much about you, I almost feel as if I know you already."

"Is that so?" Hercule smirked, startled by the big man's sudden guffaw.

"Oh now, Lady Agatha, you are making me sound like a right chatterbox. I assure you, Lord Hercule, I only talked about your best qualities."

"Which, indeed, seem to be manifold," the lady's eyes sparkled with mirth.

Mesmerised by her charisma, Hercule stepped closer and stared into those familiar looking eyes while addressing Mr Bullamy, "I'm sorry, old chap, but I have the inexpugnable urge to dance with this bewitching creature."

Allowing him to take her hand, she challenged him, "And does this bewitching creature have any say in the matter?"

"I thought you knew me already?" He flashed her his most boyish grin.

"I said almost," she let him pull her towards the dance floor.

~*~

They waltzed with ease, neither of them breaking eye contact.

He was still puzzled by those eyes. He couldn't even pinpoint their colour, but there was something about them that intrigued him deeply.  
And then it hit him. His thief.  
These were the same eyes which had mocked him less than a fortnight ago. He felt his heart skip with the excitement. Oh, she was wicked.

He quickly pondered his options.  
There were several members of the constabulary amongst the guests and he knew she had taken his mother's ring. Then again, he couldn't prove it.  
The investigation was ongoing and on top of it all Interpol had contacted him only yesterday, asking whether he had been able to get a good look at her. They had not offered him any kind of explanation, telling him the case was classified. One thing was clear; she wasn't a common thief.  
Looking at her now, he smiled to himself; of course she wasn't.

Her gaze turned questioning. "And what might you be thinking about, Lord Hercule?"

The way she pronounced his name made his chest tingle. "I was wondering what your name is."

"Oh, but I've told you," she smiled knowingly.

Studying those impressive eyes, he shook his head slightly. "You don't look like an Agatha at all."

She laughed, brushing her hand up his arm as they continued their dance. "And what name do you think would suit me?"

Part of him wanted to stay quiet, but his tongue betrayed him, "Something beginning with an F?" Anxiety coiled inside of him painfully as he waited for her to react.

The corner of her lips curled up. "Hmm. Handsome _and_ intelligent. You are quite something, Lord Flambeau."

He was surprised that she didn't even try to deny it. She only looked at him in that peculiar way that excited him more than he dared to admit.

Slipping out of his arms, she turned and walked off the dance floor without another word, knowing that he would follow her.  
She stepped out on the balcony, crossing towards the rather low balustrade.

He took off his mask and watched her from the doorway, unsure whether to raise the alarm or just join her. In the end, he was too intrigued by her to stop himself from strolling over.

When he appeared in her peripheral vision, she leaned forward, resting her palms on the sandstone banister, looking straight ahead as she spoke. "I took something that belongs to you."

Lord Hercule turned and leaned back next to her, crossing his arms over his chest, his eyes fixed on the billowing curtains which separated them from the crowd inside. "You did."

After a moment of silence passed between them, he turned his head, studying her masked profile. "May I have it back?"

She huffed in amusement, looking down before meeting his eyes. "Have you checked your safe lately?" The confused expression on his face made her chuckle and she pushed herself back up into a standing position crossing her arms as well, her hip jutting out to one side, a smirk on her face as she finally said. "It's already back where it belongs."

Flambeau finally got past his confusion and just accepted her statement as fact, asking "But why did you take it in the first place?"

The lady who had been introduced to him as Agatha studied him intently for a long moment before she spoke again. "It was a piece of a puzzle I wanted to solve."

There was bare honesty in her gaze before she averted it for a moment and her emotions were well hidden from him again.

"Why are you here?"

She leisurely stepped in front of him and reached out to straighten his bowtie. "You'll read about it in the papers tomorrow, I'm sure. Lord Edgeware isn't half as discreet as you are." Resting her hands against his chest she leaned in and brushed her lips against his cheek. "Good bye, Lord Hercule."

When she turned to leave he grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "And what makes you think I'll let you leave."  
There it was again; that enigmatic expression.

Her fingertips brushed up his lapels, her hands curling around the back of his neck and her eyes sparkled peculiarly, her voice a low purr. "Why Lord Flambeau," she melted into him, her mouth inches away from his, "you make it sound as if you had a choice."

She kissed him, slowly, deeply, thoroughly and his mind went blank. There was only the feeling of her in his arms, her hands in his hair, her lips against his. She pulled back and he followed, trying not to break the kiss.

Taking a shuddering breath, he stared into those eyes again and licked his lips, watching her walk towards the edge of the balcony and sitting on the banister, the now familiar smirk curling up her lips. "You might want to wipe my lipstick off your face before going back in." Swinging her legs over to the other side, she remained seated for a moment as she readjusted her dress and reached for the trellis.

When he realised what she was about to do, he rushed over, "Wait, you'll fall."

Turning her face towards him, she chuckled and shook her head. "You worry too much."

He watched in awe as she began her descent. Granted, it were only a few metres, but he was still holding his breath.

Looking up at where he was standing she smiled and bowed dramatically before meeting his eyes again. "Give my regards to Mr Bullamy."

She turned away but stopped, reaching up to take off the mask she had been wearing before facing him once more, winking "It's Felicia by the way." With that she threw the lace mask up to him, delighted when he managed to catch it.

"Lord Hercule?" A concerned voice came from behind him and he turned to see a rather confused looking Lady Runcorn. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was just..." he began and turned back to where his beautiful thief had been standing mere seconds ago to find her gone. Huffing in impressed amusement he shook his head and looked down at the midnight blue mask in his hands, tracing the lace with his fingertips.

"Are you all right?" The voice behind him asked with a hint of concern.

Flambeau pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, wiping his mouth. "I was just getting some fresh air, Lady Runcorn." He wrapped the mask up in the now stained fabric and carefully slid it into his pocket before he turned, a charming smile on his face. Motioning towards the doorway, he bowed slightly. "Shall we go back in?" The Lady took his arm and after a final glance over his shoulder he stepped back inside, already missing the enigma named Felicia.


End file.
